Medical image diagnoses have been rapidly developed with X-ray CT devices, MRI devices, and the like which are practically utilized along the development of computer technologies, and have become essential for current medical care. In particular, in recent X-ray CT devices or MRI devices, an increase in speed and performance of a biological information detection unit and a calculation process unit makes it possible to collect volume data and generate three-dimensional image data and MPR (Multi Planar Reconstruction) image data using the volume data in a shorter time. Such practical utilization of medical image diagnostic devices enables early detection of a malignant tumor or the like, and thus greatly contributes to decision of a treatment strategy or a treatment method.
Such medical image diagnostic devices having high performance are being widely spread especially in medically advanced countries including Japan. However, because of a shortage of physicians in recent years and the like, a serious problem has occurred that a sufficient number of medical specialists cannot be secured who are capable of diagnostically reading various kinds of image data collected by these medical image diagnostic devices.
Accordingly, a so-called remote medical image diagnostic reading method is starting to be practiced. This is a method in which image data collected by the abovementioned medical image diagnostic devices is transmitted to external diagnostic reading facilities connected via a network or the like, and diagnostic reading of the image data is requested to persons in charge of diagnostic reading who belong to these diagnostic reading facilities. Moreover, in order to reduce a cost required for the diagnostic reading, discussed is a method in which the abovementioned diagnostic reading is requested to overseas diagnostic reading facilities where labor costs for medical staff are lower.
In such remote medical image diagnostic reading method in which diagnostic reading of image data collected by medical image diagnostic devices is requested to external diagnostic reading facilities including overseas diagnostic reading facilities, it becomes important to maintain the quality of diagnostic reading by constantly grasping the diagnostic reading level (diagnostic reading ability) of persons in charge of diagnostic reading who are in charge of diagnostic reading of the image data in the diagnostic reading facilities.
However, it is difficult in reality to correctly grasp the diagnostic reading level of persons in charge of diagnostic reading at remote locations. In particular, it is more difficult to grasp the diagnostic reading level of a requested person in charge of diagnostic reading, because, in overseas diagnostic reading facilities, persons in charge of diagnostic reading change carries more frequently among the facilities. Accordingly, there has been a problem in that the accuracy of a medical diagnosis performed based on the diagnostic reading result provided from the diagnostic reading facilities is dropped.